Businesses urged to be ‘Waste Warriors’

Zero Waste Scotland is calling on local authorities, businesses and organisations to sign up and join its Recycle Week army of ambassadors in a bid to get people to recycle more.

Recycle Week, which takes place from September 25 to October 1, is the annual UK-wide campaign to raise awareness of how important it is to recycle.

Zero Waste Scotland is calling on local authorities, businesses and organisations to sign up and join its Recycle Week army of ambassadors.

Over the course of the week, Zero Waste Scotland will be encouraging people to become waste warriors and do their bit by recycling as much as they can.

Good progress has been made on recycling in Scotland in recent years, with people recycling more often at home, at work and when out and about.

Despite this fantastic achievement to date, 60 per cent of the waste households are currently sending to landfill could be recycled.

Zero Waste Scotland is encouraging local authorities and businesses to use Recycle Week to highlight the benefits of recycling with their employees and members by promoting ways in which every person they can do their bit.

Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, said events like Recycle Week show how people and organisations can play a part in reducing waste by recycling.

She said: “By recycling more we can all help protect our environment and relieve pressure on scarce raw materials.

“Scotland has an ambitious target to reduce waste, with no more than five per cent of all waste to go to landfill by January 2021 and 70 per cent of waste recycled or prepared for reuse by 2025.

“Events such as Recycle Week highlight how easy it can be for individuals and businesses to play their part and keep products and materials in valuable use for longer.”

She added: “Greener living has benefits for us all.”

Iain Gulland, chief executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said there have been improvements in recycling: “Recycle Week is the perfect opportunity for us to get as many people as possible from across the country recycling more.

“Recycling in Scotland has vastly improved over the past few years but we can still do more. It has tremendous benefits for our economy, for job creation, and for the environment.

“Scotland has the potential to lead the field when it comes to recycling, and we need groups who are showing how it’s done.”

He added: “So I urge as many local authorities and business as possible from all across the country to do their bit and join our army of ambassadors!”

To sign up to Recycle Week or for more information please visit: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/recycleweek2017